Encyclopedia of the Middle East

Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades

Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (Arabic:
كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام ) (Variant spellings: Ezzedine al-Qassam, Ezzedeen
al-Qassam, Izzedine
al-Qassam, Izzedine el Qassam ) are the armed wing of the
Hamas
radical
Islamist militant group.
The group is named after the Syrian-Palestinian Islamist Imam and agitator,
Sheikh Izz ad-Din al-Qassam.
The size of the group is not known, but their Web site claims that over 800 of
their members have been killed. One may surmise that there are several thousand
members in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Israeli Intelligence estimates
that they have about 8,000 members. However, they probably contributed a large number of troops to the
Executive Force formed by the Hamas in 2006, which was instrumental in routing
the substantial forces of the
Fatah.
It is not clear if the numerical estimate considers the Executive forces and Izz
ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades as separate forces. A different Israeli estimate puts
the number of "Hamas fighters" at 20,000 (ref)
. This number is currently quoted by Wikipedia(ref)
as the size of the Al Qassam brigades, but it almost certainly includes Executive force and other groups.

The Izz
ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades and other groups have been expanding in
Gaza
following the violent takeover of the Gaza strip by the Hamas, allowing
importation of weapons through a network of tunnels. It is believed that a group
of Iranians are in Gaza training Hamas troops and that hundreds of them have
also managed to go abroad for training.

Foundation of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades

According to the Web site of the Ezzedeen al-Qassam group: (alqassam.ps/english/?action=aboutus)

In 1984 Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Maqadema, Sheikh Salah Shehada
and others began to prepare for the establishment of an armed organization
to resist the occupation. Their efforts concentrated on acquiring weapons
for future resistance activity. However, members of the group were arrested
and the weapons were confiscated. At the time, the group didn’t operate
under the name of Hamas or Al-Qassam Brigades.

In 1986 Sheikh Salah Shehada formed a network of resistance cells called
“Al-Mujahidoon Al-Filistinion” (the Palestinian fighters). The network
targeted the Zionist occupation troops and traitors. The network continued
to work till 1989; and their most famous operations were the kidnappings of
two occupation soldiers: Ilan Sadoon and Avi Sasbortas [Sasportas--MEW] . In addition, Hamas
(officially established on December 14, 1987) formed other similar networks,
such as “Abdullah Azzam Brigades” and “Majd,” the latter being a security
branch against traitors.

In the middle of 1991, Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades became known as the armed
branch of Hamas.

Thus, the group was actually formed prior to the
First Intifada
but was only given its name during or after the
First Intifada.
Evidently, the operational leader of the group when it was founded was Yahya
Ayash, though the nominal leader was Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, spiritual leader of
Hamas. Ayash was killed by Israel in 1995. Muhammad Deif became the head of Izz
ad-Din al-Qassam. Deif has been targeted by Israel several times, but escaped.
He is rumored to be a quadruple amputee, and may be in Egyptian custody.

Mission of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades

The Web site of the group describes their mission as follows:
(alqassam.ps/english/?action=aboutus)

Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades (EQB) was established in the midst of the
Palestinian Intifada (1987-1994) against the Zionist occupation. Established
at the height of the occupation crackdown against popular and armed
resistance, EQB considers its effort as part of the resistance movement
against the Zionist occupation of Palestinian lands, which has been ongoing
since the British occupation. In light of this understanding, EQB aims:
“To contribute in the effort of liberating Palestine and restoring the
rights of the Palestinian people under the sacred Islamic teachings of the
Holy Quran, the Sunna (traditions) of Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) and the traditions of Muslims rulers and scholars
noted for their piety and dedication.”

·Defend Palestinians and their land against the
Zionist occupation and its aggression;

·Liberate Palestinians and the land usurped by
the Zionist occupation forces and settlers;

It is clear that the "occupation" that the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam
Brigades want to end is the existence of the state of Israel, in line with the
charter of the Hamas movement as
they point out:

,..Zionist occupation of Palestinian lands, which has been ongoing since
the British occupation.

In their communiques, they refer to Israeli towns such as Sderot as
"settlements" and to Israeli casualties in those towns as "settlers." The Arabic
version of the Izz ad-Din al Qassam Web site is far more outspoken and frank
about their goals than the English version.

Emblem of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades

A fighter masked by a kaffiyeh headdress at the center of a circle holds an M-16 rifle
in his right hand and a
Quran
in his left. Behind him there is a green banner with the Shahada, the Islamic
declaration of faith, written on it. The
Al-Aqsa
mosque, at the center of the circle, is a common feature of the emblems of
Islamist Palestinian groups (compare with
Islamic Jihad ). The green lettering above is a Quranic verse: “It was not
you who killed them, rather it was Allah who killed them.” Below, in red, is the name
of the group, “Izz ad-Din
al-Qassam Martyr Brigades.”

Attacks by Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades

The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Martyr Brigades have carried out numerous militant
attacks, including some that are often attributed simply to "Hamas" and some
that may be the work of other groups and are often attributed to them:

June 25 2006: Complicity in the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad
Shalit, though the operation was claimed to be that of the independent "Jayish
al Islam" group.

March 3, 1996: A
Hamas
suicide bomber blows up a bus on Jerusalem's Jaffa Road, killing 19 people
and leaving at least 9 wounded. The attack takes place on the same No. 18
bus line and almost at the same time as the previous week's attack.

Feb. 25, 1996:Hamas
suicide bomber blows up a No. 18 bus near Jerusalem's central bus station,
killing 26 people and wounding 48 others. Less than an hour later, a second
Hamas
suicide bomb explodes at a soldiers' hitchhiking station near Ashkelon,
killing one and injuring 31 others. The two attacks are said to be in
retaliation for the slaying in Gaza of Yehiya Ayash.

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Pronunciation - Arabic and
Hebrew vowels are pronounced differently than in English. "o" is very short. The "a" is usually pronounced like the "a"
in market, sometimes as the "a" in "Arafat." The " 'A " is guttural. " 'H "-
the 'het ('Hirbeh, 'Hebron, 'Hisbollah')
designates a sound somewhat similar to the ch in "loch" in Scots pronunciation, but made by touching
the back of your tongue to the roof of your mouth. The CH should be pronounced like Loch, a more assertive consonant
than 'het.

The "Gh" combination, and sometimes the "G," designate a deep guttural
sound that Westerners may hear approximately as "r." The "r" sound is always formed with the back of the tongue, and is
not like the English "r."

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